Measles is one of the most dangerous infectious diseases. When an infection occurs, its course is unpredictable – warns Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski from the Warsaw Center for Preventive Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Measles is a very contagious disease. Dr. Paweł Grzesiowski emphasizes that up to one third of cases have complications of various types, leading to death, such as neurological complications, including acute encephalitis.
How dangerous this infection is is the tragic case of Krzysztof Jackiewicz, repeatedly described in the media. The man has been in a vegetative state for almost 30 years, his mother sacrificed her life to care for him. Few people are aware that this man’s condition is caused by measles complications – emphasizes Dr. Grzesiowski.
It is very important to detect this disease early in order to start treatment as early as possible. The trouble is, many doctors have never dealt with measles. Therefore, it may happen that the disease is not diagnosed on time and the treatment is started late – adds the specialist.
The first symptoms of measles are confusing, similar to those of the flu. It can only be a sharp sore throat, dry cough, rhinitis and conjunctivitis, and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.
Only after a few days does a rash appear on the skin. Only then do the parents report to the doctor. If at that time the child had contact with unvaccinated peers, there is a high probability that other children will also fall ill – emphasizes Dr. Grzesiowski.
Prof. Teresa Jackowska from the pediatric clinic of the Medical Center of Postgraduate Education at the Bielański Hospital in Warsaw points out that in the United Kingdom and the USA, doctors increasingly refuse to look after children who are not vaccinated. They justify this by the fact that when a sick child with measles is brought to their center, it poses a threat to other toddlers up to the age of one who have not yet been vaccinated against the disease, she explains.
This is because children from 13 months of age are vaccinated against measles, so all those under the age of one are at risk of getting measles.
Another problem is where infected people are to be treated. Infectious wards have been liquidated in many localities. We only have one such branch in Warsaw. And if we deal with an epidemic, this unit will be full within one day. Probably most children would be admitted to pediatric wards, and as we know, unvaccinated children may also stay in these wards – points out Dr. Grzesiowski.
In his opinion, isolation units in pediatric hospitals are not prepared for such cases. So we have no way to prevent an epidemic. Because in this case, as in Ebola, the most important thing is to isolate the patient as soon as possible. Therefore, we are not prepared for the mass admission of sick children – adds Dr. Grzesiowski.
According to the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw, the infection is spread mainly by droplets and by direct contact with nasopharyngeal secretions. Very rarely, infection occurs indirectly through objects freshly contaminated with secretions from the nasopharyngeal cavity.
The measles viruses enter the body through the mouth or nose and the conjunctiva. When multiplied in mucous membranes, they enter the skin and various organs such as the kidneys, stomach, intestines and liver. The incubation period is usually between 10 and 12 days.
Dr. Grzesiowski emphasizes that there is no drug, an antibiotic against measles (it is a disease caused by viruses – PAP). Only the so-called supportive treatment.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles causes 10% of every year. all deaths due to any cause in children under 5 years of age. It is the eighth cause of death in the world.
In 2014, there were 3840 measles infections in Europe, and 1921 cases in Italy alone. In Poland, according to the NIPH-PZH, 110 people fell ill with measles last year, which is more than in 2013, when 84 cases of this disease were registered. (PAP)